The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1887-09-23
Sclttt 1t(istclIann.
The Marriage Ring.

Some Of the most widespread mar
riagr customs among Christian nations
are OF hr:llhcn origin. An example is
the giving of the ring That the Romans
Il cd marriage rings is known 10 every
reader of Juvenal. See his ":SiXth Sa-
tire And that il was worn in ancient
times preciSelyaS at preScnt;ppears from
Il passage in AulnS GelliuS. writer of
the age OF the Antonines tNoctes At
ticr. lib. ". cap. 1ol. in winch it Is
stated that the Greek and Roman Gus
tom WAS 10 wear it in go digito qui est
in manu- sinislra minimo proximus.
He adds. Oh the authority Of Appian.
that Il small nerve runs from this finger
To the heart and that, on account OF
its connection with the master mover
Of the vital funtionS. this finger was
honorca with TIE office Of bearing the
ring.
The importance of the ring-tnger Is
more elaborated V and quaintv descrih
ed bv LcvinuS LcminuS. who says. us
translated IN IN English version Of the
wear l65S. A small branch of the ar
tcric. and not of the nerves. as Gellius
thought is stretched forth from the
heart into the finger: the motion where
Of You shall perceive evidently in wo-
men weak and wearied in travel. and
all affects of the heart by the touch
of Your forctinger. use to raise such
as are fallen in il Swoon by pinching
this iovnt. and bv rubbing the ring of
gold with a little saffron. for by this il
restoring force that is in it paSseth to
the heart, and refresheth the fountain
of life. unto which this finger is ioyn'd;
wherefore it deserved that honour above
the rest. and antiquity thought fit
To compassc it about with gold. Also
he worth Of this finger that it receives
from the heart procured this much,
that the old physicians, from whence
also it hath the name Of Medicus,
would mimglr their medicaments and
potions with this finger. for no venom
can stick upon the very outmost part OF
ii but ii will offend man and commu
nicate itself to his heart"
In the British Appollo, of tho year
l.oS, aquerist puts the question, "Why
is it that II person to be married is en-
Joined to put ring upor the fourth
finger of his spouSe's left hand - The
editor rcplies-and the answer is in
ttreSting chiefly rs showing that a hun
drcd and eighty years ago editors were
supl,oSrd 10 be able. like their brethren
of to-day. /" furnish information on any
subject There is nothing more in
this than that the custom was handed
down to the present age from the prac
nee Ot our ancestors, who iOunu the
left hand more convenient for such or,
nlmcnt< than the right. in that it'S less
employed +; for the same reason they
chose the fourth finger, which is not on
ly les used than either of the rest. but IS
more ga. able of preserving Il ring from
bruises. having this one quality pecu-
liar to itself. that it cannot be extend
cI bat in company with some "thel
finger. whereas the rest may he s'nglA
stretched to their full length and
StraightncSS. Some of the ancients
were of opinion in this matter that the
ring Was 50 worn because to that finger
and to that only. cones an artery from
the heart: but. the politrr kn"wlcdg,
of our modern unutomlStS having clear